Longtime Major League Baseball executive Roland Hemond, widely admired and beloved for his affable style and generosity of spirit, has died at the age of 92.
Hemond, who is best known for serving as general manager of the White Sox and Orioles, began his career in professional baseball as a low-level functionary with the Eastern League's Hartford Chiefs in 1951. He then worked his way to farm and scouting roles with the Braves and then Angels before becoming GM of the White Sox partway through the 1973 season. He served in that role through the 1985 season and with Chicago was twice named Executive of the Year.
In late 1987, Hemond became GM of the Orioles and was the team's lead decision-maker until he stepped down following the 1995 season. With Baltimore in 1989, he won his third Executive of the Year award. Later came a highly placed front-office stint with the Diamondbacks and then a return to the White Sox in an advisory role. In 2007, he returned to the Diamondbacks as a special assistant.